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Resources

This page includes resources we believe are relevant to the theme of culturally-justified violence. We have included both VNC-led publications as well as those by allies. If you have a resource you think should be on this page, please contact info@violenceisnotourculture.org

All over the world, diverse groups use arguments based on anti-rights interpretations of religion, culture and tradition to justify violence and discrimination. This publication highlights agreements that affirm the universal and interconnected nature of human rights. It can be used by human rights advocates to challenge state and non-state actors attempting to block the development, progress and protection of laws at all levels.

Despite significant breakthroughs in the past 20 years, violence against women and girls justified in the name of religion, customs, traditions – in short, culture - remains unabated. Women continue to be persecuted and killed for making choices in life that are perceived to defy social norms. The presentation was created as a tribute to these women, to honour them and their sacrifices. It reasserts the statement made by WLUML and the VNC campaign five years earlier at the 54th session of the CSW.

Taking into consideration information received from States, United Nations agencies, civil society groups and other relevant stakeholders, the report discusses the international norms and standards applicable to child, early and forced marriage and the human rights impact of the practice on women and girls. The report addresses the various factors that contribute to child, early and forced marriage and further analyses existing measures and strategies to prevent and eliminate child, early and forced marriage with a particular focus on challenges, achievements, best practices and implementation gaps.

War in Syria has killed more than 10,000 children. More than 1 million more have fled the country in fear, while millions more have been displaced inside Syria. This briefing looks at a disturbing but less publicised impact of the crisis: the increase in the numbers of girls who have been forced to marry.

To read the full report by Save the Children please download the attached pdf.

To view the full report in English, French, or Arabic, please download the pdf.

The Human Rights Council requested the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to prepare a report, in consultation with States, United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, civil society and other relevant stakeholders, on preventing and eliminating child, early and forced marriage, with a particular focus on challenges, achievements, best practices and implementation gaps.

This brief report was created by WLUML as a submission to the UN Secretary General for the 27th session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) on the question of the death penalty.

WLUML outline the latest developmentes in the practice of stoning around the world, with specific emphasis on stoning where it is practised as a death penalty (Iran and Somalia). WLUML call for attention to stoning as a gendered human rights violation, and to the repressive and unstable legal and political contexts which form the background to stoning. We ask the HRC to address stoning as part of its session on the death penalty, and to address all countries where stoning remains on the law books.

Iran is the first country where all women are forced by law to observe hijab laws. Without espousing a clear definition of hijab, Islamic Republic laws consider women who lack “Islamic veil” in “public” as committing a crime punishable by imprisonment and fines. Based on Sharia laws, Islamic hijab implies covering hair and the entire body except for wrists and hands. However, a failure to observe hijab as determined by security or other official forces involve many other instances.

This video created by International IDEA Based on case studies, the film 'Making Waves: Expressions of Gender Equality in the Sacred Texts and Islamic Tradition' explores women and men as scholars and activists promoting interpretations of the Qur'an and Hadiths that empower women and promote justice, equality and dignity.